Conventionally, zoom lenses of the two group or the three group type having leading negative lens groups (a configuration in which negative lens groups are provided toward the object side) are well known as zoom lenses to be provided in compact digital cameras, compact video cameras, and portable terminal devices. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-293368 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-108399 disclose examples of simpler low cost two group type zoom lenses having variable magnification ratios of approximately 3×, in which a first lens group is constituted by two lenses, and a second lens group is constituted by three lenses, for a total of five lenses. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-078801 discloses a zoom lens in which a first lens group is constituted by 2 lenses and a second lens group is constituted by two lenses, for a total of 4 lenses.
Meanwhile, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-112000 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-187740 disclose a zoom lens in which plastic lenses are employed and a zoom lens which is designed presuming that plastic lenses may be employed. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-112000 discloses an example in which one of three lenses that constitute a first lens group is a plastic lens. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-187740 discloses an example in which all lenses are plastic lenses.